Understanding Discord Bot Permissions and Intents
Learn how Discord bot permissions and Gateway Intents work, and how to configure them for your bot.
Discord uses two separate systems to control what your bot can do: permissions and Gateway Intents. Understanding both is important for getting your bot to work correctly.
Bot Permissions vs Gateway Intents
- Permissions control what actions your bot can perform in a Discord server (sending messages, managing roles, kicking users, etc.). These are set when the bot is invited to a server.
- Gateway Intents control what events your bot receives from Discord (new messages, member joins, presence updates, etc.). These are configured in the Discord Developer Portal.
A bot needs both the correct permissions and the correct intents to function. For example, a moderation bot needs the "Ban Members" permission to ban users, but it also needs the "Server Members" intent to detect when new members join.
Permissions
How permissions work
When you invite a bot to a server, you select which permissions it should have. These are encoded into the invite URL. Server administrators can also adjust a bot's permissions after it has been added by editing its role in Discord's server settings.
Common permission sets
| Bot Type | Recommended Permissions |
|---|---|
| General purpose | Send Messages, Read Message History, Embed Links, Attach Files, Add Reactions |
| Moderation | Kick Members, Ban Members, Manage Messages, Manage Roles, View Audit Log |
| Music | Connect, Speak, Use Voice Activity |
| Slash commands only | Send Messages, Use Application Commands |
💡 Tip: Follow the principle of least privilege. Only grant the permissions your bot actually needs. You can always re-invite the bot with additional permissions later.
Fixing "Missing Permissions" errors
If your bot logs a "Missing Permissions" or "DiscordAPIError[50013]" error in the Console:
- Check which permission the error mentions.
- Go to your Discord server's Server Settings > Roles.
- Find your bot's role and make sure the required permission is enabled.
- Make sure the bot's role is high enough in the role hierarchy. Bots cannot manage roles that are above their own role.
Gateway Intents
What are Gateway Intents?
Gateway Intents are categories of events that your bot subscribes to. Discord introduced intents to reduce unnecessary data processing. Your bot only receives the events it has opted into.
Standard vs Privileged Intents
Standard intents are enabled by default and do not require any special action. These include events like:
- Guild (server) create/update/delete
- Channel create/update/delete
- Message reactions
- Voice state updates
Privileged intents must be manually enabled in the Discord Developer Portal. There are three privileged intents:
| Intent | What It Provides | When You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Presence Intent | User online/offline/idle status and activity data | Bots that display user status or track activity |
| Server Members Intent | Full member list, member join/leave events, member updates | Bots with welcome messages, role management, or member tracking |
| Message Content Intent | The actual text content of messages | Bots that use prefix commands (e.g., !help) or read message content |
📝 Note: Bots that only use slash commands (
/command) typically do not need the Message Content Intent, since slash command data is delivered separately.
Enabling Privileged Intents
Open the Developer Portal
Go to https://discord.com/developers/applications and select your application.
Go to the Bot section
Click Bot in the left sidebar.
Enable the intents you need
Scroll down to Privileged Gateway Intents and toggle on the intents your bot requires.
Save and restart your bot
After enabling intents in the Developer Portal, restart your bot on the XGamingServer panel for the changes to take effect.
Verification requirement for large bots
If your bot is in 100 or more servers, Discord requires you to apply for verification before you can use privileged intents. This involves submitting a request through the Developer Portal explaining why your bot needs each intent.
For most personal and community bots that stay under 100 servers, you can enable privileged intents freely without verification.
Common Intent Errors
"Disallowed intents" error
If your bot crashes with an error like [DISALLOWED_INTENTS] or error code 4014:
- Check which intents your bot's code is requesting.
- Go to the Developer Portal and make sure those intents are enabled under Privileged Gateway Intents.
- Restart your bot on the XGamingServer panel.
Bot is online but not responding to messages
This usually means the Message Content Intent is not enabled. If your bot uses prefix commands (like !help or ?play):
- Enable the Message Content Intent in the Developer Portal.
- Restart your bot.
If your bot uses slash commands, the issue is likely a permissions problem rather than an intent issue.
Best Practices
- Only enable intents your bot actually uses. This reduces unnecessary data processing and aligns with Discord's guidelines.
- Use slash commands when possible. They do not require the Message Content Intent and provide a better user experience.
- Audit your permissions periodically. Remove permissions your bot no longer needs.
- Keep your bot's scope minimal. If your bot only needs to work in specific channels, use Discord's channel-level permission overrides.
If you need help configuring permissions or intents for your bot, join our Discord.
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